Border officials eye Monday reopening to nonessential travel with hope

WASHINGTON - Border officials urged lawmakers to stick to a plan to reopen the border to nonessential travel Monday, even as they said more needs to be done to prepare for the expected surge in traffic.


Waiting to exhale: Chris Paul news has Suns fans in frenzy about ‘cursed’ franchise

Phoenix Suns fans believe their franchise is one of the unluckiest in the world. The Chris Paul news has them in a frenzy.


Transitioning from coal is the goal – how to get there is the question

WASHINGTON – Navajo and Hopi witnesses agreed the region needs to move away from its economic dependence on coal, but specific proposals on how to get there remained elusive after a House hearing Tuesday.


Tempe mayor calls for ‘continued and increased’ housing, transit funds

WASHINGTON - Tempe Mayor Corey Woods told a Senate panel that cities like his need federal funding for affordable housing and public transit, saying local investment alone cannot do the job. His testimony came as Washington wrangles over massive infrastructure proposals.


Derby Dames turn to community for help in preserving Arizona’s only banked roller derby track

PHOENIX – Like many other businesses, the Arizona Derby Dames had to close their doors in March 2020 due to COVID-19. They were about to begin their 16th season. Instead, they had to hang their helmets and store their skates.


‘Basketball on grass’: Canadian Football League provides alternative path for Arizona athletes

PHOENIX – Arizona athletes are among those who have turned to the Canadian Football League as an alternative means of pursuing a professional football career.


Airport, TSA officials say as passengers return, so do security delays

PHOENIX - Due to the low volume of air travelers at the height of the pandemic, getting through security was quick and easy. But passengers are coming back and travelers now should come prepared for a process that's a bit more difficult, officials say.


Red tape and the ‘mask god’: Group looks back on successful PPE drive

PHOENIX - Sam Wang's "anti-epidemic diary” shows photos of grateful medical personnel, police and firefighters around stacks of boxes that hold some of the 158,000 masks secured for them at the pandemic's start by a volunteer group of Chinese Americans in Arizona.


Sister act: Sister cities, many in Arizona, step up if nations falter

PHOENIX - When President Dwight Eisenhower unveiled the forerunner to Sister Cities International, he saw the federal government as a sometime obstacle to world peace and encouraged local communities to do their part. When the pandemic hit, that’s exactly what they did.


As wildfire season looms, some areas still recovering from 2020 blazes

As the Western U.S. steels itself for another summer of dry, fire-prone conditions, some are turning their attention to recovering from last season’s blazes that left behind areas prone to mudslides and dangerous runoff.


National park visitors – and money – returning after 2020 plunge

WASHINGTON - After hitting a 40-year low in the pandemic year of 2020, national park visitors - and their dollars - are steadily returning, but they are still below pre-pandemic levels, according to new National Park Service data.


Western states looking closely at water supplies, including some duck ponds in Colorado

Water supplies are so tight in the West that many states keep close watch over every creek, river, ditch and reservoir. A complex web of laws and rules makes sure water is put to use. To prevent any waste, Colorado has started cracking down on what may seem like a drop in the proverbial bucket.